But Caden’s hair was so thick that even looking carefully, you couldn’t find a part running from his forehead to the crown of his head. He would likely never go bald in his lifetime.

“Don’t worry, Cay. If you go bald, I’ll shave my head too so you won’t feel lonely.”

“Don’t shave your head.”

“And here I was being thoughtful!”

The two of them bickered childishly, same as always.

There was also an additional benefit to the Kirusha trip that Dorothy didn’t bother saying out loud.

If Caden stayed here, it was obvious they would end up tying themselves in knots over the problem of not properly sharing a bed.

They couldn’t very well blame the people around them for meddling in their private affairs.

A newly married young couple sharing the same bed every night without so much as brushing a hair against each other? That was as good as a serious red flag for producing an heir.

It was more than enough to invite concern from those around them, and more than enough to become a scandal in social circles.

They had no desire to be cornered into knocking back a stiff drink and forcing through what amounted to “psychological” incestuous s*x under the pressure and glares of everyone around them.

“Haaah. I’ll send word tomorrow that I’ll go….”

Caden mumbled, his voice thick with drowsiness.

“Go to sleep.”

“…….”

Dorothy pressed her lips together in a small curl. The thought of sending Caden off to Kirusha sent a creeping, unpleasant chill crawling up her spine.

Why was that? She felt cold for no reason she could name.

“Achoo.”

Dorothy sneezed quietly.

Even half-buried in drowsiness, Caden caught the sound of the sneeze like a ghost and spread his arm open.

“Come here. You’ll catch a cold again.”

He patted the spot beside him.

“I won’t catch one….”

Grumbling, Dorothy did as she was told without resistance. She wriggled across the bed like a caterpillar and pressed herself snugly against Caden’s side.

Caden’s body was warm like a small furnace.

‘He’s warm.’

Dorothy settled into the angle she found most comfortable out of habit.

She rested her forehead lightly against Caden’s chest, felt the familiar, warm heat of his body, and sank into a deep, deep sleep.

* * *

The next day, as discussed, Caden reversed his original decision and agreed to accept the offer from the Grand Lord of Kirusha.

Everything that followed moved quickly.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Bessler only heard about it after everything was already settled.

The furious Marchioness of Bessler let out a roar of “You, you, you madman!” and grabbed a fistful of Caden’s hair with a vengeance. From beneath the Marchioness’s elegant, slender hand, a clump of glossy blue-black hair smooth as raven feathers scattered and fluttered through the air.

If Dorothy hadn’t come rushing over to stop her, she would certainly have left him with bald patches in several places.

“Remember this. If you’re not back in two years, that’s the end. I will personally carve your name out of the Bessler family tree!”

Marchioness Bessler declared it, colder than the eternal snows.

Caden knew that wasn’t a bluff. His mother was always someone who meant what she said.

As for the Marquis of Bessler, he thought that since Caden was the third son without a title, using this opportunity to firmly establish his standing wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

There was a real difference between a noble who held a title and one who didn’t, and that gap only widened with each generation. Now that Caden was married and building his own household, these things had to be considered.

But that was that, and Dorothy was a separate matter.

Over time, the Marquis had grown quite fond of Dorothy. She was such a good and lovely girl. No matter how hard you looked, there was nothing to dislike about her.

And her temperament was so gentle! Growing up playing with the three notoriously wild Bessler brothers, she never once burst into tears even when her sandcastles were knocked down or her candy was snatched away.

The Marquis grew all the more restless seeing his newly arrived daughter-in-law carry herself with quiet composure, keeping her sadness to herself without a word.

In the end, even though Dorothy kept saying she was fine, he paid no mind, and after waiting a full half year to finally get his hands on one, he gifted her a white mare whose entire coat was as white as snowflakes. Dorothy wasn’t hiding anything; she genuinely wasn’t sad, but he gave the gift regardless.

Seeing his parents care for Dorothy so deeply, Caden finally felt at ease.

Truthfully, if the two of them weren’t the way they were, he would not have found it easy to make up his mind to leave for a mission right after getting married.

On the day Caden left, Dorothy rode the newly gifted mare to see him off at the gate.

Before the transfer gate, its magical current rippling with blue waves of power.

Caden, who submitted his identification and travel documents, turned to her and said, “I’ll be back.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll write.”

Dorothy smiled softly.

The lovely smile with her pearl-like front teeth just barely showing was exactly the same as when she was little.

“If anything fun happens, don’t forget to write and tell me!”

“I know.”

Caden thought: she was still just as curious as a rabbit, always wanting to hear something interesting no matter where she was or when.

After that, there was nothing in particular left to say.

Not because they were awkward or guarded with each other, but because they always said whatever needed saying the moment it came to them.

“Don’t eat too much cold food. You’ll get a stomachache.”

“And you, don’t kick your blanket off in the night and end up with one too.”

“…….”

“They say the desert nights are very cold.”

When she said that, Caden’s deep blue eyes gave a faint tremor.

Like something stirring inside him.

Dorothy was too busy feeding a sugar cube from her pocket to the mare to notice.

Finally, Caden waved at her.

The gate’s magical array activated.

At the moment of transfer, the magical current surged sharply.

A gust of wind swept through the area, born from the great distortion in the flow of mana.

Whooooo.

Once the fierce wind died down, the surroundings fell still and quiet, as though nothing happened.

Dorothy only realized it after Caden’s silhouette disappeared completely.

That this was the first time in their lives they would be apart for so long.

* * *

Time always passes in a flash.

And so the day of Caden’s return, which once seemed impossibly far away, crept up before she knew it.

Caden sent word about a month ago via magic telegraph.

He was in good health, and the mission was smoothly entering its final stages. He couldn’t say exactly what class of title he would receive since those above him were still deliberating, but his contributions were properly recognized, and it was confirmed that he would be awarded a mage title upon his return.

…I’ll tell you the rest when I’m back.

Since magic telegraphs couldn’t be written at length, he kept it to only what the family was most desperate to know.

It was, without a doubt, news they waited two full years to hear.

It was also tremendous good news.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Bessler gave the household staff a special bonus, and the entire estate, from top to bottom, buzzed with excitement as though a festival was underway.

From that point on, everyone was in a frenzy about preparing a grand welcome ceremony for the youngest son.

The afternoon of the day before his return.

Dorothy went to the suburban house she used as her magic tool workshop and came back with a cart full of flowers.

She was making a celebratory bouquet for Caden.

There was a reason she went all the way out to her suburban house instead of sending someone to buy flowers at the market.

Dorothy set up a magical greenhouse in the yard of that house.